Contains photographs, case studies, ideas, and tips that provide instruction in growing and training bonsai.

Bonsai, the art of growing a tree in miniature, has fascinated and captured the imaginations of people worldwide for hundreds of years. This book will show you how to establish a collection, from first tree acquisitions to quickly creating your own bonsai from ordinary garden material. Step-by-step demonstrations, real examples and helpful advice then ensure you can develop and refine your trees in line with your aspirations. Key coverage includes: both indoor and outdoor bonsai; the best equipment and materials to use; the established bonsai styles and the different approaches required for various tree species; detailed advice on how to keep your tree strong and healthy; guidance on watering, positioning, feeding, pests and problems and an analysis of roots and the process of repotting. There are separate detailed chapters on trunks, branches and twigs with guidance on design considerations; practical styling techniques; bonsai aesthetics, including sources of inspiration, tree styling and pot choice, and finally, detailed case studies, spanning many years, documenting the development of a range of trees.

This title introduces a collection of the finest bonsai pieces to be found in Japan today. Over 180 plates of priceless specimens with informative commentary provide a definitive tour of the bonsai world. The notes for each piece offer insights into the balance, style, harmony and aesthetic as well as history of the bonsai. The Nippon Bonsai Association, Japan's pre-eminent voice of the bonsai tradition, introduces a collection of the finest bonsai pieces to be found in Japan today - some of them presented to a Western audience for the first time. Over 130 full-colour and 71

Trees are often taken for granted. They have many utilitarian purposes as well as aesthetic presentations, from supplying building material for construction, lining the roads to improve the streetscape, producing fruits in an orchard and providing a collection of specimens in the botanic gardens. Often, they are a nuisance, clogging up the gutters with fallen leaves, cracking driveways or becoming a safety hazard during storms. They may not be appreciated for their intrinsic appearance until a detailed assessment is made about how their natural characteristics can be portrayed in a miniature representation. Progressing this evaluation process further to derive an artistic outcome is the core inspiration for the creation of a bonsai. The understanding required in the development of a bonsai becomes clearer once the application of both the creative principles and horticultural methods are understood. For those of all levels of experience, the Seven Principles of Bonsai Design provides a compendium of fundamental bonsai processes and artistic composition principles, all of which offer the guidance required to transform simple and humble trees into works of art.The creation of a bonsai is just the beginning, for these are living sculptures that can transcend an individual's lifespan. Consequently, the knowledge and skills of bonsai creation and maintenance are required to continue this process and needs to be enduring and generational. This body of knowledge is but a mere fraction of what there is and will be. The journey continues - - -

With hundreds of color photographs and illustrations, this Chinese gardening book is a wonderful introduction to penjing—China's treasured bonsai art. Although most people thing bonsai is a Japanese invention, the art originated in ancient China where it is called penjing. The two Chinese characters for penjing ("pot" and "landscape") capture the essence of this art: sculpting microcosms of the beauty of the natural world from plants, rocks, soil, and water, both as an artistic process and as horticultural cultivation. Both penjing and bonsai are art forms that express the beauty of nature. In China, bonsai, as a part of penjing, is often called "tree penjing," or "tree in a pot." The Chinese divide penjing into three categories: tree penjing, rock penjing, and water-and-land penjing. This Chinese gardening book showcases the Chinese art of penjing in all its aspects for the benefit of penjing aficionados and all other readers interested in Chinese culture. It covers the concept, history, categories, aesthetic features, techniques, display, appreciation, and preservation of penjing. It is a feast for the eyes while providing a wealth of information for the academically inclined as well as the practically minded. There are more than 300 lavish illustrations grouped into three different categories of penjing. The reader will not only be awed by the beautiful compositions of penjing, but will also learn about the Chinese approach to nature and to life.

Original Japanese edition published by Nitto Shoin Honsha Co., Ltd. in 2007.

Photographs and illustrations help demonstrate how to care for bonsai trees; includes the history of the bonsai tree; techniques for pruning, wiring, and aging the trees; advice on watering and feeding; and information on choosing the right tree.